Date published: 2006/03/13
The BBC says:
The sexes are split on science interests, researchers say, leading to calls for gender-specific syllabuses.
A survey of just over 1,200 pupils in England found the hot topic for boys was explosive chemicals while girls were more interested in the human body.
Tailoring lessons to each sex may help reverse the decline in take-up of science in schools, researchers said.
The University of Leeds report is part of a global study, Relevance of Science Education, based at Oslo University.
Report author Professor Edgar Jenkins said that the differences between the sexes could not be ignored.
But he said they were common to most of the developed world, according to research emerging from more than 40 nations taking part in the work.
He said: "We have had a generation or more now of promoting gender equality but the differences exist and I raise the question as to whether we should teach the two sexes separately for some of the time."
More pointless "research" from so-called educationalists. Of course when you are paid to look for differences you will find differences. The question is whether the result is significant. And are they saying that if women want to do science they should be told they should do biology? And "tailoring lessons" implies they want to have two sets of science lessons, one for boys and one for girls. Well, let's bring that idea to its logical conclusion. Let's do a study and find the differences between white and non-white students. Then let's do a study and find the differences between heterosexual and homosexual students. Then let's do a study and find the differences between students with Irish and Japanese backgrounds. Then let's do a study and find the differences between Protestants and Catholics. Soon we will have a single science lesson for each student. If only the countries of the world would stop wasting money on this kind of junk "research" and instead put the money into science, we would all be better off.
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